The Dark Side of Coconut Oil: Monkey Abuse in Production

The Hidden Cost of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is often praised for its numerous health and beauty benefits, but few people realize that some brands rely on unethical and cruel practices in their production. One of the most shocking issues in the coconut industry is the use of monkey labor, particularly in Thailand, Indonesia, and other Southeast Asian countries.

Investigations have revealed that monkeys are captured, chained, and forced to harvest coconuts under brutal conditions. This raises serious ethical concerns for consumers who care about animal welfare, sustainability, and ethical sourcing.

How Are Monkeys Used in Coconut Farming? 🐵🥥

In some coconut plantations, particularly in Thailand, pig-tailed macaques are trained to climb tall coconut trees and pick hundreds of coconuts per day—far more than human workers can. While this may sound harmless at first, the reality is disturbing:

🔴 Forced Labor – Monkeys are taken from the wild or bred in captivity for this industry.
🔴 Chained & Confined – Many spend their lives on short chains, deprived of natural behaviors.
🔴 Abuse & Mistreatment – Some are beaten, starved, and punished if they don’t perform well.
🔴 Isolation & Psychological Trauma – Monkeys are social creatures, but they are often kept alone, leading to severe distress.

Shocking Findings from Investigations 🔍

Several animal rights organizations, including PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), have conducted investigations exposing these practices. Their reports found that:

🐵 Some monkeys were kidnapped as babies from their families in the wild.
🐵 Many live their entire lives in captivity with no chance of freedom.
🐵 Monkeys who become too old or weak are often discarded or killed.

Following these revelations, some major retailers in USA, including Costco, Walmart, and Target, have pulled brands linked to monkey labor from their shelves.

How Can Consumers Avoid Unethical Coconut Products? 🌱❌

If you use coconut oil or coconut-based products, here’s how you can make sure you’re not supporting monkey abuse:

✔️ Look for Ethical Certifications – Buy from brands that are Fair Trade, USDA Organic, or Rainforest Alliance Certified.
✔️ Support Human-Harvested Coconuts – Some farms rely on human workers and mechanical harvesting instead.
✔️ Check Brand Commitments – Companies like Harmless Harvest, Dr. Bronner’s, and Nutiva have pledged not to use monkey labor.
✔️ Spread Awareness – Share this issue with friends and family to encourage ethical purchasing.

Quick note about coconut oil on face products . It is comedogenic and as moisturizing as you think. Actually quite the opposite. 

Make your skincare products without coconut oil 

Final Thoughts: Choosing Ethics Over Exploitation

Coconut oil is a popular and beneficial ingredient, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of animal cruelty. As consumers, we have the power to demand ethical and cruelty-free alternatives. By making informed choices, we can help end monkey exploitation in coconut farming and promote more humane agricultural practices.

Let’s be aware of this cruel production practice and use no coconut oil in our cosmetics. To learn how to formulate your own natural skincare without coconut oil (comedogenic ) , check out my Online Certificate Skincare Formulation Course

Cheers,

La Mayca x